Spaceballs is another one of Brooks’ superb parodies, but one can’t help but think the timing was a bit off. Released in 1987, the Star Wars craze had largely run its course; the film might have done better at the box office if it were released in 1983. Star Wars is the main target, but Star Trek, Dune, Space 1999, Planet of the Apes, and Alien are lampooned.

Planet Spaceball is running out of oxygen and President Skroob (Mel Brookshas a plan to suck all the air out of the peaceful planet of Druidia. Skroob orders his powerful minion Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to kidnap Vespa (Daphne Zuniga), a Druish princess, and force King Roland (Dick Van Patten) to give up the combination to the planet’s airlock With his daughter’s Mercedes spaceship caught in the tractor beam of Spaceball One, King Roland conscripts the renegade Captain Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog companion Barf (John Candy) to rescue her, and agrees to pay them a tidy sum upon her return. This works out just swell for Lone Starr, who is indebted to the greasy Mafioso Pizza the Hutt (Dom Deluise) Lone Starr and Barf have no trouble rescuing the princess, but their space- cruising Winnebago runs out of gas and crashes into the desert planet below. Here they meet Yogurt the Wise (Mel Brooks), a master of The Schwartz and merchandising expert who hints at Lone Starr’s patronage and shows off the Spaceballs lunch box, t-shirt, and flamethrower. When Dark Helmet recaptures the princess, transforms Spaceball One into the Mega Maid, and prepares to suck the atmosphere out of Druidia, Lone Starr must learn to use The Schwartz if he wants to save Vespa and fulfill his own destiny.

Spaceballs has always been a personal favorite of mine. It parodies the films I grew up loving. While it’s not quite as spot on funny as Blazing Saddles, the characters, and the attack on the merchandising of Star Wars, make me laugh every time I watch it.

Presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Kino Lorber’s 4K transfer is reference quality material. Details are notably improved throughout. Primaries shine with bold reds, blues, and yellows. Blacks are far crisper, and whites are bright. Spaceballs has never looked better.

Spaceballs has been released with the same DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio mix used for the previous Blu-ray. However, the updated DTS-HD MA 2.0 track that sounds much crisper and full. Dialogue and special effects are clean and clear.

English subtitles are included.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray disc only offers the Mel Brooks audio commentary. The rest of the extras for this set are found on the Blu-ray disc. None of these features are new.

  • Audio Commentary featuring Mel Brooks
  • Force Yourself! Spaceballs and the Skroobing of Sci-fi (HD 16:44)
  • Spaceballs: The Documentary (SD 30:04)
  • In Conversation with Mel Brooks and Co-Writer Thomas Meehan (SD 20:30)
  • John Candy: Comic Spirit (SD 10:02)
  • Watch Spaceballs in Ludicrous Speed (HD 00:30)
  • Film Flubs (SD 1:24)
  • Storyboards to Film Comparison (SD 6:41)
  • Behind the Scenes Image Gallery
  • Posters and Art Image Gallery
  • Exhibtor Trailer with Mel Brooks Intro (SD 2:12)
  • Spaceballs Teaser (HD 1:19)
  • Spaceballs Trailer (HD 2:36)
  • The Producers Trailer
  • Life Stinks Trailer
  • Delirious Trailer
  • Once Upon A Crime Trailer